GB2316622A

GB2316622A - Attachments for snowsports footwear

Info

Publication number: GB2316622A
Application number: GB9617798A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Garraway; Anthony Gasson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-08-24
Filing date: 1996-08-24
Publication date: 1998-03-04
Also published as: GB9617798D0

Abstract

An attachment for snowsports footwear reveresibly converts the footwear for use on a hard or icy surface. The attachment can be in one or two parts. In a two-part version, one part (1) attaches to the footwear and the other (2) carries the accessory. These two parts reversibly clip together to facilitate compact storage and carriage, whilst also allowing the same footwear attachment to be used with a variety of interfaces and vice versa. A one-part version attaches to the footwear and also carries the accessory.

Description

Description Attachment for snowsports footwear This invention relates to a device for converting snowsports footwear for use on hard artificial or icy surfaces Snowsports footwear is typically designed to be used in association with an article for transport over snow such as ski or snowboards. Despite the relative expense of this footwear and the lengths to which patrons frequently go to ensure a perfect fit, the equipment is used infrequently throughout the year since many do not have access to constant snow. In addition, those who may have permanent access to snow, or who may be resident a distance from the nearest slope, are resigned to walking to and from the slope or utilising local transport.

This invention would allow owners of snowsports footwear to utilise their investment for fun, exercise and practise on hard surfaces such as man made surfaces, ice or hard packed ground or rock during out of season periods or when there is not enough snow to partake in their intended sport. In addition the invention could be used by individuals for local transport to and from the snow slopes. Users of the invention would have a convertible form of footwear, thus potentially saving themselves many hundreds of pounds in sports equipment.

According to the present invention there is provided either one or two thermoplastic moulded plates, comprising a means for releasably fixing wheels or an ice skate to the base of snowsports footwear. In the two plate system, the lower plate carries the attachment which forms the new interface between the wearer and the substrate. This could be an inline skate, a traditional quad skate or an ice skate. This lower plate is wedgeshaped with a dovetail profile so that it can easily and securely locate into a receiving groove in the base of the upper plate and is releasably held in place by one or more sprung catches in one or both of the plates. The upper surface of the upper plate has a moulded projection, upon which are mounted two C-shaped metal plates. The two metal plates can be adjusted towards or away from each other by means of a screw connecting two tapped toggles, one located in the underside of each metal plate.

Bindings to releasably secure the snowsports footwear are mounted on each of the metal plates and are of a type common to many other bindings comprising either snowboard hard boot bindings or snowboard soft boot ratchet bindings. A further version could comprise step-in type bindings for either ski boots or proprietary snowboard binding systems.

In a single plate system, both bindings and wheeled or skate attachments are fixed on opposite sides of a single plate.

The two plate system enables the device to be stored compactly for carriage for example while skiing. The two part system also either allows a variety of attachments to be used with a single upper plate or allows a variety of upper plates with different bindings for different boot styles to be used with a single lower plate.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawing in which Figure 1 shows the under side of the lower plate, with an inline skate attachment; Figure 2 shows one side of the lower plate with an inline skate attachment; Figure 3 shows a front view of the lower plate with an inline skate attachment; Figure 4 shows the upper side of the upper plate; Figure 5 shows one side of the upper plate; Figure 6 shows a front view of the upper plate; and Figure 7 shows a side view of both plates assembled.

Referring to the drawings the device comprises an upper plate (1) and a lower plate (2) releasably secured to the upper plate by, for example, one or more catches on one or both of the plates. The lower plate carries an attachment which could comprise, for example an inline skate (shown (3)), a quad roller skate (not shown) or an ice skate (not shown). The upper plate carries adjustable bindings for snowsports footwear, either for hard boots (shown) (4) or for soft snowboard boots (not shown).

To use the device, the bindings (4) are first adjusted to accommodate the user's boot by means of turning a screw (5) by which the opposed bindings (4) are either brought closer together or moved further apart. Once the bindings are adjusted, a lower plate with an appropriate attachment (2) is slotted into the receiving groove (6) in the base of the upper plate (1) and held there releasably by one or more catches, moulded or otherwise (not shown). The assembled plates are then ready to be fixed to the user's ski boot (figure 7). When this procedure is repeated for the user's other boot, the user may then use the boots as normal inline skates.

When the device is no longer required, it can be removed from the boot and the two plates separated by releasing the catches. The plates can then be conveniently stored together until required again.

Once the upper plate is adjusted for the user's footwear, any one of a number of different lower plates can be assembled to it for converting the footwear to ice skates or quad skates for example.

Claims

Claims

Attachment for Snowsports Footwear 1 A device to reversibly convert snowsports footwear for use with skate accessories comprising two moulded plates, the first of which (1) has an upper surface moulded to accept two opposedly related adjustable devices (4) providing means for releasably securing snowsports footwear and a lower surface with a tapered groove (6) to accept a second plate (2) which carries the skate accessory which provides a new interface between the user and the intended substrate and is retained by one or more catches on one or both of the plates.
2 A device to reversibly convert snowsports footwear for use with skate accessories comprising a single moulded plate which has an upper surface moulded to accept two opposedly related adjustable devices (4) providing means for releasably securing snowsports footwear and a lower surface which carries the skate accessory which forms a new interface between the user and the intended substrate,
3 A device as in 1 or 2 above for alpine ski boots
4 A device as in 1 or 2 above for hard snow board boots.
5 A device as in 1 or 2 above for soft snowboard boots
6 A device as in 1 or 2 above where the opposable bindings are replaced by a proprietary step-in binding system for snowboard boots
7 A device as in 1 or 2 above where the opposable bindings are replaced by a proprietary step-in binding system for alpine ski boots
8 A device as in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 above where the accessory is an inline skate / Rollerblade
9 A device as in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 above where the accessory is a quad skate.
10 A device as in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 above where the accessory is an ice skate.